[Chaos Forge] INCENTIVE - Printable Version

Alas, it looked like this process was going to be delayed. In the worst way possible.

Everything was going to go fine, plans were converging, it was all going to make sense and they were going to survive, thrive, become--

Become punished by Master Vargas after doing exactly what they were told not to do.

"I'm going to bite her." Khavur had no time to react, no time to plead or command with anyone, and when the time finally came, it had already been told to let it pass. To do nothing. Chaos-Two was right, they could not risk Master Vargas losing faith in Khavur, but then why could they risk him losing faith in-- SILENCE! The thought was stunted. Khavur's heart refused to drum along to what came next.

Chaos-Two being the cause of Kethri's death was not at all what Khavur had expected. Hadn't she been...? Wasn't this all endangering...?! But quiet, quiet, quiet! Flames were rising, and solely through Chaos-Two's will were they being stamped out at all. Khavur took the spear. Khavur wanted to snap the spear in half-- no! No! Khavur wanted to watch the tumult and decay -- wanted to watch Cain try and fail to vouch for the bird's life, wanted to watch aforementioned bird be gored and a threat to ring out, wanted to watch Draconua, in all her abhorrent glory, endorse Chaos-Two's actions with surprising gusto, and, finally, very much wanted to see its own dearest sibling get bitten in the leg by Master Vargas as the second example of the concept of 'punishments' introduced in this very meeting. Yes, Khavur wanted to watch all of this, because Khavur didn't have the option to feel otherwise right now.

More than anything else in this ongoing train wreck happening here, Khavur absolutely blazed with the desire to hear and feel Chaos-Two's conclusion about Master Vargas and Chaos as a whole, two things that were intrinsically baked into Khavur and entirely unremovable. Two things Chaos-Two had evidently decided were not worth it, evil in fact, and something they would stand against.

Let's be honest for the briefest blip of a second here: Khavur wanted to commit an act of violence, maybe join in with the rabid dogs scrambling for their rotting feast. But more importantly, Khavur wanted to balance on the tight rope it walked upon all its life. It was not only Master Vargas's faith that was important to the Reaver.

So Khavur said nothing, and Khavur let no thought run its course through their Link. But its fear, oh, its fear, kept private and safeguarded... no venom could compare. Rather of letting all that internal suffering heat up and burn the whole village down, Khavur would instead let it run cold, let itself be completely numb. It would accept Chaos-Two back into its guardian embrace, consciously slipping its wings slightly over Chaos-Two to provide them some minor amount of cover. And the beast would remain there, held firm like a rooted oak tree, perhaps hoping that, some day or in some time, the lack of feeling would spread to its heart as well.

Satisfaction. It sat in the very bottom of her gut.

She almost didn't hear Vargas adding onto her words as her fingers brushed against the dislodged gemstone in her hand. It was cold to the touch. She could feel the magic tickling her fingertips, churning with life. The irony in it was amusing enough to keep her occupied right up until Obieth was in front of her and shouting.

Nidhogg? Aethril couldn't care less if he wanted to eat the remains of Kethri, but Obieth was chasing him away. She made a quiet note to find a reward for Obieth later-- a new bed, her own room, perhaps..? More pillows? She could ask, perhaps. An issue for later.

Aethril turned to Vargas, her voice quieter. "Would you have any use for this, for a new messenger?" The blue-white stone was lifted towards him for viewing, and for a moment she admired it as it glinted in Voidlight. "If not, I will take it."

If cut properly, it would fit perfectly on on a silver ring...

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Desert Rose's offer was met with interest: a new trainer for the young-? Vargas considered only briefly, before nodding. "Meet with me after we are done, here, Thirty-Five. We will try you out in that role." Of course, it wasn't an unexpected choice--not entirely. They'd discussed Desert Rose training the new creations at length. But actually raising children? That could be interesting, Vargas thought.

"There will be, yes, including--possibly--a new messenger," he added, glancing dourly to the stone that Aethril was now offering. "Yes, if you will allow it, I have need of it," Vargas answered the Valkhand bluntly. But he didn't approach yet; she might change her mind, or it might be another example. He would wait until she beckoned him, and then stride over to take the bloodied gemstone--if she did.

Desert Rose and Cain were discussing a spawn. Or rather, Cain was offering the suggestion to Desert Rose. Vargas glanced over to them, and nodded to Desert Rose--approval of the pairing. "Overseer Cain has my permission to create a spawn as its apprentice. If you wish you may accept. But it is not required," he added. Something about forcing any of the Forge to give up stones or life felt wrong, somehow, and it wasn't something Vargas was likely to start doing; if Desert Rose did not want to, then he wouldn't, and that would be that. If he did?

Well, they'd likely have an interesting creation on their hands.

A gesture, then, to Attikias. "Bring them, and I will look them over. You may need to wait," he added, in dryly amused warning--a line, he knew, would soon be forming.

"The rest of you, you have your orders. And if you don't have something to do, come and meet with me today, or tomorrow. I want the entirety of the Forge kept busy until we're on our feet again! You will all earn your worth, and prove it; any of the other beasts in the caves will be able to look upon ANY of us and know we are worthy, and to be feared!" A pep talk, but for monsters.

"This meeting is over."

Likely to some of their relief.

Meetings always tended to be eventful. That's what happened when you gather so many creatures of chaos in one place.

It knew what was going to happen, as soon as the Owl spoke, as soon as the clicking of heels echoed through the room. The Overseer couldn't stop it from happening- not even Master Vargas could. It waited for shadows to tear into visera, to tear the creature into nothing but bones and hide and oil and feathers. It stood statue-still, only moving to shift minutely, protectively, over Zoisite.

It would not run. It would not look away.

It was even more grotesque than it expected. Not even a hint of snowy feathers remained. The creature had just been turned inside out, revealing insides that should have never seen the light of day. Bones stuck up from the meat like groteque alabaster spires, and The Labradorite would not look away. It would not run.

Next would be Chaos-two. Breaking the rules so soon after they'd been lain out. It felt.. it didn't know how it felt. Chaos-two shouldn't have broken the rules, but was it completely at fault? Who else of the forge had lashed out, out of pent-up frustration? Fear? Genuine chaotic malice? It was the nature of monsters to snap at the hand that feeds, and even the hands that don't.

It thought of Zoisite, of the scar it had left in it's side. Chaos-two had been the first, but who would be the next? The next furious two-headed beast, the next pincers snapping at talons, the next jaws crushing a ribcage? Who would be the next example?

'This meeting is over' It visibly relaxed, glancing down at where Zoisite huddled against the stone. As the others began to disperse to their duties, it'd nod at Zoisite, gesturing for it to follow. They would both need to meet with Vargas, but right now? Vargas would be busy, with a hand here and so many others to talk to. And besides..

It wanted to get away from the stinking pile of meat.